Manchester United’s interest in Burnley striker Wout Weghorst has been questioned after loan club Besiktas publicly stated that they will require compensation should he leave mid-season.
The 30-year-old Dutch striker, who is currently on loan at Turkish club Besiktas from Burnley, was part of the squad that helped the Netherlands secure a draw against 2022 World Cup winners Argentina in the quarter-finals before losing on penalties.
Manchester United had made contact with Burnley about a possible loan until the end of the season, but it is reported that the Turkish outfit isn’t fully convinced to let the player go without making a statement.
Besiktas sporting director Ceyhun Kazanci when speaking to the media implied that a deal will only happen if the club is compensated, otherwise, Weghorst will see out his season-long loan.
“I don’t understand why Weghorst said goodbye to the fans, why he made such a move. He is our football player right now. Our contract expires at the end of the season.”
“If Manchester United or any other team wants Wegnorst, they will meet with Burnley anyway. Burnley will then contact us and discuss the terms of separation. If we accept, the contract will be terminated. Otherwise, it will go on until the end of the season.” he said.
“He can’t just go. There will have to be a reward for us to approve the separation. I’ll give an example. Burnley told us, ‘We made a deal with this team for Weghorst. We give you half of the transfer fee’. This may be a different condition. Then we’ll sit down and talk.”
Besiktas head coach Senol Gunes shared similar thoughts on concerns around the dutchman, he was quoted saying:
“Weghorst is an important player for us. It is not enough to say goodbye to the audience. He also needs to talk to the club. I have heard of such a development, but it is not clear. I’ll consider [him] leaving after I talk to both him and the club.”
